US House narrowly passes budget, avoiding government shutdown

The US House of Representatives has narrowly passed a sweeping bipartisan budget deal, ending an hours-long government shutdown and clearing the way for huge increases in both defence and domestic spending.

The 240-186 vote sends the $400bn (€326bn) spending plan to President Donald Trump, who has promised to sign it.

Passage of the measure came over the opposition of Democratic leaders who demanded the promise of a vote to protect "Dreamer" immigrants brought to the country illegally as children.

A band of tea party Republicans was also against the legislation over what it sees as spiralling spending levels.

The government shut down at midnight on Thursday after Kentucky Senator Rand Paul blocked plans for a quick Senate vote, blaming his fellow Republicans for being "complicit" in the looming return of trillion-dollar budget deficits.